Tool Advice from TOH Master Carpenter Norm Abram

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Adjustable Wrench: "Keep the wrench's jaws parallel to the work surface. An angled grip cuts down on contact with the nut."

Chain Saw: "Never cut in the "danger zone," the upper half of the bar's nose; the saw will likely kick back at you."

Chisels: "I sharpen my edge tools on a diamond honing stone dampened with a few drops of water. An oilstone or waterstone is also fine, as long as it's flat and not dished from frequent use."

Claw Hammer: "A comfortable handle is as important as the hammer's weight. A handle that's too big around—with more than a finger's width of space between the tips of the fingers and the base of the thumb—is worse than one that's too small."

Coping Saw: "In the curves, use shorter, faster strokes than when cutting along a straight line. This way, you won't twist the blade, which would make it harder to control and easier to break."

Jigsaw: "For me, getting accurate cuts with a jigsaw is mostly a matter of positioning. I put myself directly above the saw blade, not off to one side, so I can see the teeth cutting along the line."

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